What Surprise Does Gu Yan Have for Me

How did Gu Yan know Xiao Leng's name?

Was it a coincidence? A fluke? An accident?

No, it shouldn't be any of those.

Gu Yan wasn’t the type to casually mention a stranger’s name.

In other words...

Leng Qingqiu’s heart sank.

Gu Yan... most likely learned the name from Xiao Leng herself.

If we consider the timeline,

the last time Xiao Leng emerged was when Gu Yan went to the Fifth Forbidden Zone.

So, did something happen then? Did Gu Yan realize that the person back then was Xiao Leng?

And did they actually talk?

This contradicts what was said before... Did something happen between them?

Could it be related to Gu Yan’s unusual behavior today?

Leng Qingqiu felt an inexplicable sense of unease.

Xiao Leng was an extremely malevolent personality. If she had manipulated Gu Yan, it might lead him to act irrationally.

So, Leng Qingqiu asked Xiao Ling in her mind, "Xiao Leng, tell me the truth. What exactly did you do to Gu Yan in the Forbidden Zone?"

"How does Gu Yan know your name?"

After a moment of silence in her mind,

Xiao Leng slowly replied—

[Nothing happened.]

[As for why the furnace is acting so strangely, my other self, you might find out soon.]

Find out soon?

Leng Qingqiu frowned.

At that moment,

Leng Ling'er ran over. "Sis! The banquet is about to start, let’s go!"

Leng Qingqiu took a deep breath and temporarily set aside her doubts.

No, today was a crucial day for Gu Yan.

Whatever the matter was, it could wait until after today.

With that thought, Leng Qingqiu nodded gently with a softened expression. "Alright, let’s go, Ling'er."

......

.........

The third day’s annual gathering began as scheduled.

This year’s banquet venue was noticeably different from previous years.

First, the decorations were exceptionally eye-catching. The entrance was adorned with towering white Roman columns, as if leading into a classical palace.

Exquisite crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting a soft, warm glow that illuminated the entire space like daylight.

The floor was covered with a long red carpet, its edges trimmed with golden embroidery.

Each table was draped with pristine white tablecloths, set with delicate silverware and crystal glasses, while floral arrangements served as centerpieces.

The lighting inside was adjusted to be soft and layered, interweaving with the candlelight on the tables to create a romantic and mysterious atmosphere.

Live broadcast cameras were positioned at various angles.

Behind-the-scenes staff worked in an orderly manner to finalize the setup.

"Wow! This year’s banquet is so extravagantly decorated?"

"Why are there cameras? What’s going on?"

"Previous years weren’t like this."

"Ah, you don’t get it, do you? Today is Young Master Gu’s last chance to become the head of the Gu Family."

"Whether he succeeds or not, it’s only fitting to make it grand!"

"That makes sense, I suppose."

"Hey, in my opinion, Young Master Gu has changed so much—this year might actually be his chance to take the position!"

"Haha, no way. Gu Yunrou, Gu Yingying, Gu Zihua, and even Gu Linyi are all strong contenders for the family head position."

The guests couldn’t help but be stunned the moment they stepped into the banquet hall.

They whispered among themselves, some even pulling out their phones to capture the rare spectacle, preserving the beauty of the moment.

The women’s evening gowns shimmered under the lights, while the men did their best to exude gentlemanly charm.

Amid such meticulous arrangements, the guests’ faces were all lit with cheerful smiles.

Except for...

Gu Zihua, sitting in a corner of the banquet, gloomily sipping his drink as he watched the festivities with a sullen, powerless gaze.

"Damn it... Does he really think victory is guaranteed?"

Gu Zihua cursed under his breath. Previous years’ banquets had never been this flashy,

let alone with live broadcast setups.

This had to be Gu Yan’s doing—he must be confident about securing the votes this year.

Disgusting...

Gu Zihua sighed inwardly.

Whatever.

At this point, no amount of jealousy would change anything.

Come to think of it,

he had only wanted to become the family head to be with Xuehua.

But now that he had Alice,

maybe it wasn’t absolutely necessary.

Still, the thought of Gu Yan becoming the head was worse than death.

Sigh.

Gu Zihua shook off his thoughts.

He steeled himself, ready to witness the final moments of the banquet.

Just then,

"Young Master Zihua."

A familiar voice echoed beside him.

Gu Zihua stiffened slightly and turned his head.

There, sitting beside him, was Xuehua—but she seemed different from before.

The hair that had once covered half her face was now swept aside, revealing her full features.

To Gu Zihua’s surprise, the scars on the other half of her face were completely gone,

making her even more beautiful than before.

Gu Zihua froze. "Xuehua...?"

"Yes, it’s me."

After absorbing Gu Yan’s claw-like tendrils, the scars on Xuehua’s face had fully healed.

Her demeanor had become elegant yet alluring as she gazed at Gu Zihua. "Young Master Zihua, do you really... no longer love Xuehua?"

"........Do I even need to answer?"

"Very well. In that case, Xuehua won’t trouble you any further. But after the banquet ends, could you come to this place? I’d like to bid you a proper farewell."

Xuehua placed a slip of paper in front of Gu Zihua before leaving.

Gu Zihua picked it up—the address led to a pondside location within the Gu Family Manor.

"This is..."

His heart skipped a beat. This was the very spot where he and Xuehua had first met as children, where he had fallen in love with her.

"Young Master Zihua, is something wrong?"

Alice happened to walk over at that moment.

For some reason,

Gu Zihua pocketed the slip and feigned calm. "It’s nothing."

The guests continued to arrive.

Gu Yan and Leng Ling'er walked at the front.

Leng Qingqiu was escorted by Su Murong and Gu Yunrou as they chatted.

Leng Ling'er, however, was whispering conspiratorially to Gu Yan. "Brother-in-law, are you really going through with this?"

"Absolutely."

"Brother-in-law..."

"Hmm?"

"If you give me the car keys, I won’t tell Sister about the surprise... Oww! Okay, okay, I was joking!"

Gu Yan pinched Leng Ling'er’s blond hair, threatening in a low voice, "You little brat, if you spill it early, forget about ever getting your motorcycle."

Leng Ling'er pouted in frustration. "Ugh... you’re bullying me..."

Honestly, their whispers had already been overheard.

As the Night King,

even the softest murmurs were audible to Leng Qingqiu.

But still...

A surprise?

What surprise does Gu Yan have in store for her?

Leng Qingqiu suddenly felt inexplicably nervous for some reason.

Wasn't today the Gu Family's annual gathering?

What did it have to do with her?